Evander Holyfield Edges Dwight Muhammad Qawi For WBA Title – July 12, 1986 (This Day In Boxing History)

One of the most iconic cruiserweight fights happened 36 years ago today.

Evander Holyfield scored a 15-round split decision over Dwight Muhammad Qawi in what was a war. Holyfield won the WBA 190-pound title with scores of 147-138 and 144-140 to Qawi’s 143-141.

Before this fight, Holyfield never boxed over eight rounds and many thought it was too soon.

“That fight was so tough that even after I’d won, I thought I wasn’t gonna fight anymore,” Holyfield told The Ring years later.

“I was about to quit, but my manager told me that I’d probably never fight a fight as tough as that again, and he was right.

“I have a lot of respect for (Qawi) because he was a two-time world champion. He was only 5-foot-7, but he kept coming. He wouldn’t stop…”

Holyfield and Qawi met a second time in December 1987 where Holyfield finished him with a knockout.